The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) has issued full guidance to the NHS in England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland on falloposcopy with coaxial catheter.

As part of the NICE's work programme, the current guidance was considered for review but did not meet the review criteria as set out in the IP process guide. The guidance below therefore remains current.

Description

This procedure is used to investigate and treat subfertility in women.

One in six couples require investigation or treatment of subfertility. Conventional investigation of subfertility in women often includes an examination of the fallopian tubes using hysterosalpingography (an X-ray test) or laparoscopy with dye injection to check the patency of the Fallopian tubes. More rarely salpingoscopy is performed. This is the inspection of the inside of the fallopian tubes from the outer fimbrial end, at laparoscopy or laparotomy.

Falloposcopy is a technique that allows direct inspection of the inside of the fallopian tubes. The fallopian tubes are approached through the cervix and uterus.

There are two main types of falloposcope: coaxial and linear everting catheter. The coaxial technique involves inserting a narrow catheter over a guidewire through the cervix and uterine cavity into the fallopian tubes. The surgeon then passes a flexible endoscope through the catheter. Coaxial falloposcopy is usually carried out under local anaesthetic and mild sedation.

OPCS4.6 Code(s)

Falloposcopy:

Q39.9 Unspecified diagnostic endoscopic examination of fallopian tube

Includes: Falloposcopy NEC

Falloposcopy with balloon dilation:

Q38.8 Other specified other therapeutic endoscopic operations on fallopian tube

Y40.3 Balloon dilation of organ NOC

The NHS Classifications Service of NHS Connecting for Health is the central definitive source for clinical coding guidance and determines the coding standards associated with the classifications (OPCS-4 and ICD-10) to be used across the NHS. The NHS Classifications Service and NICE work collaboratively to ensure the most appropriate classification codes are provided. www.connectingforhealth.co.uk/clinicalcoding